


Afterlife

by classicbookdealer



Category: No Fandom
Genre: Multi, Original Fiction, Original Story - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-01-21 16:42:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12461769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/classicbookdealer/pseuds/classicbookdealer
Summary: The afterlife is made up of many things, many places, and is full of many people. Someone needs to make sure people get where they need to go.Those someones are Reapers.





	1. Midnight Appointment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Violence Mentions  
> Car Crash + Shooting 
> 
> I'm putting this in the notes rather than tags because it's the only chapter that will contain those things

The afterlife runs on Earth’s time. It's much easier that way, and each reaper is assigned to the time zone they are most familiar with. In America’s Eastern Standard time, it was an unusually slow night. That is not to say that it was not bustling, many people die in one day and there is paperwork to look over, but there weren't too many reapers on the floor. Shiloh Benevetti was one of the few to be handed a report at such a late hour:

Name: Elias Adam Brahms  
Religion: Agnostic, Raised Christian  
Lifehood Occupation: University Student  
Age: 20  
Cause of Death: Automobile Accident  
Complications: Stayed in Coma for One Month  
Messages from Passed Family: N/A  
Personality notes: Agreeable, kind, easy to befriend, curious, good worker 

Shiloh flipped through the pages as he made his way to the designated room. It was always a race against the clock to make it to the room as the subject woke up. Best to get there as soon as possible so they don't begin to freak out. A reaper’s job was to keep the person relax and talk them through the process of accepting death and then deciding how to move forward. Luckily, Shiloh walked in the door just as Mr. Elias Brahms was waking up. The young man blinked a few times and sat up straighter in his chair. Catching sight of Shiloh, a look of confusion crossed his face.  
“If this is heaven, I didn't expect to be greeted by an angel in a leather jacket,” he mumbled, and Shiloh laughed.  
“Well, you'll be even more shocked when I inform you that I am not an angel at all.” Shiloh sat down across the table from Elias and sent him a warm smile. “I am a reaper. Usually I have to convince my people that, yes, they really are dead, so we’re off to a great start Mr. Brahms.”  
It was Elias’s turn to laugh now, and he looked around the room. “Couldn't be anything else, I remember those headlights coming at me...then red and blue lights…” he trailed off and thought for a moment, “well, now I'm here.”  
“This sounds creepy, and I don't know how we get them so please don't ask, but my report on you says that you are agnostic, but your first comment was about heaven. That's from your childhood?”  
“I want to ask,” Elias said through laughter. “Yes, I was raised Christian. I was never sure about it though. Are you going to take me?”  
“Do you want to go?”  
“Do I have a choice?”  
Shiloh smiled and nodded. “You can try your luck at the pearly gates, though you can't always get in. There is a place for those who don't believe in that form of heaven, you are a good person so you'd get an afterlife of peaceful existence.”  
Elias raised an eyebrow, “I feel like there's something else you aren't saying.”  
“Or...you could become a reaper, like me.”  
The young man’s mouth dropped open slightly and it took a few moments for him to gather himself. “So, you're a dead guy?”  
Shiloh let out a boisterous laugh and nodded, “Yes, I am a dead guy. But so are you. See, here we’re all soul, but we need a form so we manifest physically like the bodies we had on Earth.”  
The boy took a moment to process everything, his eyes glittering. Shiloh noted that they should have added ‘likes to learn’ to his report. “So, you help other people get to where they want to go? And I could do that too?”  
“Yes. You didn't expressly believe in a god while you were alive, so you have all the options an atheist would have. But, since you never said you did not believe, you also have the choice to experience that heaven. It is your choice.”  
Elias leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table, and rested his chin on his hands. “Does everyone get the chance to be a reaper?”  
“No, only those who are kind and work well with others. Having read the report, that seems to fit you well.” Shiloh looked back down at his paper, “Agreeable, kind, easy to befriend,curious, and good worker.”  
“Wow. I want to help people like that; I want to learn to be a reaper,” Elias sat upright again. “I have a question, how do people get here? Does it take long?”  
“Depends on the cause of death. Those that pass in their sleep just wake up here at the same  
time they would have in the morning. You were in a coma for a month, so half of you was here, and half there. You woke up here when you let go, whatever your reason for that was. Not everyone knows why they finally left.”  
“How long was the longest a person stayed like that?”  
“Thirty-seven years and 111 days, Elaine Esposito, she holds the Guinness record on earth,” Shiloh didn't miss a beat. This was a question he got often. “I was in that state for three years.”  
“Holy shit. Wait, three? What happened to you?” Elias asked, and then held up a hand, “Only if you'd like to tell me.”  
“I was shot,” Elias’s eyes went wide, “In the chest. A friend took me on his hunting trip, we got separated in the forest and he mistook my movement for that of a deer.”  
“Damn. Wait how long have you been here, as a reaper; do you age?”  
“No, we don't show signs of aging. We are dead, after all. And people are allowed to take whatever physical form they had from age eighteen to the oldest they were. All memories remain intact. I've been here for a year.”  
“What about kids?”  
“Automatic reincarnation. Children’s souls have not had the chance at life yet, even if they had been reincarnated before. Kids go right back to live a full life and then make a decision when they have matured.” Shiloh crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair, he was never one to remain overly formal. To him that seemed alienating.  
“What was your top age?”  
“Twenty-four, though I technically stopped progressing in life at twenty-one.”  
“So I'm seeing you at age twenty-one?”  
“Yes, and my name is Shiloh, by the way. Pardon my lack of introduction, Shiloh Benevetti.”  
“You know my name from your mysterious report. That's strange, do they just appear?”  
“Yes, sort of. It's very limited, most things I can just know by looking at you. Remember, the physical form is just a ruse. You're all soul now, and I can see it. You'll learn to do the same, since you've chosen the path of a reaper. Now are you positive this is what you want?”  
Elias nodded immediately. “I was going to school for psychology. I always wanted to help people in life, and I never got the chance. Doing it now sounds incredible.”  
Shiloh smiled and stood up. “If you’ll follow me, Mr. Brahms—”  
“Elias, do call me Elias.”  
“Elias, I'll show you where we stay.”


	2. Early Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tw: drowning as the way a person died, also a bit of alcohol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also still can't be assed to fix the spacing issue but I will eventually

“So, the afterlife is basically a HR unit?” Elias asked, looking around to absorb everything. “These rooms are where people appear...this is a massive complex. Do you have to run?”  
“Sometimes, but it's not tiring like it was on Earth. I was never a sporty guy,” Shiloh sent a smile over his shoulder as they walked. “Here we are, this is the center, sort of.”  
There were reapers everywhere. They were heading between time zones, taking reports and discussing. A large shelf packed with books stood to one side with a few reapers looking through them.  
“What type of books are on that shelf?”  
“They're about different religions, mainly, so you can be sure to properly help everyone that comes through. A few psychology books, too. There will be some for recreation in your room.”  
“How?”  
Shiloh laughed and shook his head, “I couldn't tell you. I do my best not to dwell on the little things I can't explain.”  
Another reaper approached the two of them. He smiled and held out his arms to Shiloh, who readily accepted the hug. “Hey,” the blond greeted, “It's good to see you. Is this a new recruit?”  
Elias held out a hand to shake the blond’s hand. “I’m Elias. Haven't been awake long.”  
“Xavier,” he greeted. “At least you're catching up on the terms right?” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Shiloh’s forehead, “You have one of the best to guide you.”  
“Oh stop,” Shiloh playfully pushed him off. “Don't you have work to do?”  
“Always,” Xavier looked up at Elias, “I’ll see you around.”  
Elias smiled and shifted focus to Shiloh. “Is that your boyfriend?”  
Shiloh shook his head and motioned for him to keep walking. “No, he's married, unfortunately for me. Just a warm person. Died in 1978, during the HIV/AIDS crisis.”  
“Is that how we’re supposed to greet each other now? Hi, I'm Elias, I’m a Taurus and I died at age 20…”  
“Usually we start with names and build up to mode of death. Figured you’d get a kick out of meeting someone who died before you were born.” Shiloh guided Elias through a series of hallways, periodically looking down at the device he had been using to gain information and back up before stopping abruptly. He pushed a door open and stepped aside. “This is your new home.”  
Elias tentatively stepped inside and looked around. “How...I'm guessing you don't know how you get your dream apartment here, either?” He stepped inside and looked around.  
“Not in the slightest,” Shiloh leaned against the doorframe. “Nearly fainted when I saw mine. I was a poor kid, never thought I could afford anything near what I got here.”  
“I was a psych student at NYU, on a scholarship. I’m having a bit of that feeling right now,” Elias looked around again. “Holy shit.”  
“Alright, it's late, so I’ll let you settle in for the night but first thing in the morning I'll come get you, sound good?”  
“Yeah, sounds good.”  
“Oh, and Elias, of you ever need anything just call out for me. I'll hear it, or feel it,  
more accurately.”  
“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

••••••••

Shiloh left the room and ran directly into someone. Bumping into another reaper was always a strange feeling, like energies getting too close and setting you in a momentary daze.  
“Oh, Shiloh! I’m so sorry!” A feminine voice came through and Shiloh sighed as he regained his ability to see straight.  
“Hey, Rachel,” he mumbled, “It's fine. Just dropping a new guy off in his quarters for the night.” He meant to move on but she was still there, staring. “Your eyes are burning me, Rach. I'm going to have green scorch marks on my jacket if you don't stop looking at me like that.”  
“Sorry, I just...We don't see each other much. I want to talk to you, because, you know I feel we should talk—”  
“A year of silence after I wake up and now you suddenly want to talk?”  
“I-I, I care about you Shi.” The man crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “Don't give me that look you know I do. This is just a hard thing to talk about.”  
“What's hard? I died four years ago. You drowned two years ago, I woke up last year, someone told me you had a message for me and I went to find you and when I saw you…”  
“I know, I walked away. I know. I don't really know how to handle emotions,” Rachel looked down at her chart, it was empty for now. Souls need breaks sometimes. “I want to tell you how I died.”  
Shiloh sighed and turned, assuming she was following him, he walked to his apartment and let her inside. “Okay. Fine. You want to talk after ignoring me for so long, start talking.”  
Rachel sat down on top of what would be a dining room table, if they had the need for dining, and pushed her blonde hair behind her shoulder. “Well, I guess you know I drowned…” she hesitated. “I drowned on the second anniversary of your accident because I was drinking at that old beach we used to go to in high school. We used to race out to the sandbar and back. I didn't make it back.”  
Shiloh was silent for a few moments. “Why would you tell me this? I don't want to know that I caused your death.”  
“That's not what—”  
“It sounded like it.”  
“Shiloh I'm not done.” There was a momentary pause in conversation. “So I got here, right? They told me I could go to the heaven of my religion or, like all agnostics, be a reaper if not choosing the basic peace option.”  
Shiloh sat down in the chair in front of Rachel and looked up at her expectantly, “And?”  
“I asked about you, of course. They told me you still in a coma, which I knew. I checked in with the hospital all the time, and your family. I told my reaper I wanted to give a message when you got here. He told me that when you got here yourself I could give you the message personally,” she began to tear up, “when you did get here I saw you and I was too scared. Because it meant you were dead and you never got to live your life out and I didn't want to face that.”  
“You didn't want to face that, Rach? How do you think I felt when I woke up and they told me my girlfriend had gotten here a year before me?” He ran a hand through his hair, “You had your whole life ahead of you. A successful life. A good life.”  
“So did you!”  
“Are you kidding? I wasn't the one going to a prestigious college on an academic scholarship. I had nothing to my name. You were doing something with your life.” Shiloh stood up and started to pace across the floor. “Hell, you barely even spoke to me the last year I was alive. I respect how busy you were but damn, Rach, you couldn't have been that busy.”  
Rachel didn't have a proper response to this and instead looked down at the ground. They both knew there wasn't a proper response to that. She looked up after a few moments with an apologetic look in her eyes.  
“You could have at least told me that you don't love me,” Shiloh said softly. He held up a finger when she went to argue, “Don't. You know you can't look at me and honestly say that you didn't stop loving me five years ago.”  
“That doesn't mean I don't still care,” she whispered.  
“There really isn't anything to worry about now, is there? I want you to move on. There's no use in holding yourself back because you feel like you owe me something. I don't want you lying to me, or yourself about it.” He walked to the door and opened it, “Goodnight, Rachel”


	3. Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Had to repost these chapters because they were out of order

While there's no physical form to keep rested, a soul can grow weary with little rest. Shiloh was feeling weary. His interaction with Rachel had kept him restless. Committed to his job to help his new pupil, he left early and got to Elias’s room as soon as possible. To his surprise, the newbie had greeted him before he had a chance to knock, his hand still hovering in the air.   
“I felt your energy,” Elias greeted and walked out of the room. “You don't seem as content as yesterday.”   
Shiloh raised an eyebrow with a half smile, “Wow, you're good at this already. You're right, I had a run in with an ex. More on that later, first we have to go talk to an elderly woman who just passed last night.” 

••••••••

Elias was better than Shiloh had expected him to be. He supposed it came from him having gone to school for psychology, and by the end of the day Shiloh was allowing him to take his first soul alone.   
“I figured you could take this one because you're both agnostic. You'll know the drill, except she's not quite as personable as us. You'll have to skip on the option to become a reaper,” Shiloh instructed and handed the device with information off. It read: 

Name: Vanessa Anne Shore  
Religion: Agnostic, Raised Christian  
Lifehood Occupation: University Student  
Age: 28  
Cause of Death: Hit by a train   
Complications: N/A  
Messages from Passed Family: N/A  
Personality notes: Stubborn but kind, loyal to friends and family, not very bright

Elias, being new, didn't quite read through the whole report, and Shiloh was hazing him. Elias walked into the room and sat down with a warm smile on his face. “Hello Miss Shore,” he greeted, “Do you know where you are?”   
“An afterlife? There's no way I survived that train. See, I was listening to music and dancing along and suddenly I turn around and there's this thing barreling toward me. I started running…well now I think about it I should have just jumped to the side. At least I won't have to give that speech tomorrow,” she said, looking around thoughtfully. Elias’s smile faded a bit and he gave a short nod.   
“I’ll be right back.” He left the room and went back to Shiloh, who was smirking as he leaned against the wall. “Is this for real?”   
Shiloh burst out laughing and shook his head. “No, but that is based on a real case.” He knocked on the door, “Kaliope, you can come out now.”   
‘Vanessa Shore’ came bouncing out of the room and stood next to Shiloh. “Lemme see his face!” Her hair had changed from a brown to a blue and her features were altered slightly. “Sorry, kid, we had to haze you. It happens to us all. Name’s Kaliope.” She held out a hand and Elias took it hesitantly.   
“I didn't know there were hazing rituals in the afterlife,” Elias said with an awkward laugh.   
“The dead must have fun too,” the very bubbly girl said, and jumped up to kiss Shiloh’s cheek and Elias’s promptly after. “I'll see you two around!” She skipped away down the corridor with two pairs of eyes following.   
“So, what was your bogus case Shiloh?”   
“His name was John Littler and he cut his own dick off with a chainsaw. Xavier played the role and Kaliope was my trainer,” Elias looked mortified, “You're lucky I'm not as maniacal as those two. Though shit like that does happen.”   
“So is it a ritual to have your former trainer play the joke on your trainee, too?” Elias crossed his arms and Shiloh handed him back the device, with a new, real case on it.   
“Yes, actually. My last pupil had me playing James McAdams and I had mistaken a small vial of hydrochloric acid for a shot of vodka while doing drunk chemistry in my homemade lab. Hazing aside, you're ready for this case.”   
It was a simple one. Much like the first case of the day it was an elderly woman. This was was very strong in her catholic beliefs and wanted immediately to be taken to the right place. With minimal instruction from Shiloh, Elias was able to drop her off and take a message for her family for when they got there.   
“Good job! You're learning quick, I'm proud. Now do you want to rest for the night or do you think you could handle a graveyard shift?”   
“I think I can stay up a little longer,” Elias responded, and noticed that Shiloh wasn't looking at him but a little past his head. He turned and spotted a blonde woman speaking with a middle aged man, and somehow he could tell that the man wasn't a reaper but the woman was. “Is that your ex?”   
Shiloh snapped back to attention and half-smiled as he nodded. “Yeah, she is.”   
“I thought you were gay.”   
“What?”   
“Yeah, you give off a vibe.”   
“A vibe?”   
“A gay vibe.”  
“I'm not gay, Eli.”   
“Well I know that now just,” he made a grand gesture to Shiloh’s body, “There's a vibe. And you said it was unfortunate that Xavier was married so I assumed…”   
“People can be into more than one gender. And what vibe? Is my aura made of glitter and rainbows?”   
“Are we talking about your bisexuality, Shiloh?” A female voice came from behind Elias and he stepped aside. It was the woman from across the room. “I'm Rachel, by the way,” she extended a hand to Elias for him to shake but he didn't accept. He supposed if there were hazing rituals here there had to be some sort of bro code too. She cleared her throat and let her hand fall to her side. “I just wanted to apologize to Shiloh for being a bit of a bitch last night. I shouldn't have set all that on you and I'm sorry.”   
Elias, feeling awkward, looked around and spotted two familiar faces and walked away to join Xavier and Kaliope.  
“The only thing that came up that I didn't know was your date of death, which I will now never forget so thank you for that, dearest,” Shiloh wasn't usually so cold but he figured it was fair for him to be annoyed.   
Rachel flinched at his tone, “I felt you deserved to know that I was a dumbass and I needed you to know that I still care.”   
Shiloh placed his hands on his hips, and taking into account his posture he suddenly understood the ‘vibe’ Elias had talked about. “I feel like there's something you're trying to atone for that I don't know about. What happened in the two years that I was in a coma that has you so worked up?”   
Rachel paused for a minute and finally relented, “I dated your best friend, Nathan, for like, six months after your accident and I felt guilty so I broke it off and went drinking, and I died, okay?”   
Shiloh didn't say anything at first, sort of processing, and then he began to laugh. “That's it?” He asked through wheezes, “I was as good as dead Rachel why would I be upset? Besides it wasn't even Nathan that shot me, why feel guilty?”   
Rachel’s face showed a tinge off offense at the laughter but soon realized he wasn't making fun of her, he was just happy that it wasn't anything more serious, and she smiled too. “I don't know? It felt wrong. Look I'm sorry that I drove a wedge between us and it's my fault that you think I stopped loving you. I never did.”


	4. Part 2

Meanwhile, Elias was getting away from the personal drama that wasn't his business. If Shiloh wanted to tell him later, he would be told. Before he could greet them, the very bubbly and welcoming Kaliope waved enthusiastically. She pulled on Xavier’s arm with the other hand and he turned to look too.  
“Kaliope was just updating me on your hazing. Shiloh didn't realize it was fake so quick.” Xavier, as was apparently custom for him, pulled Elias into a hug. Kaliope did the same.  
“His face was priceless though,” She interjected. “Did Shiloh tell you what we did to him?”  
“Dickless by chainsaw,” Elias said with a nod. “He told me to make me feel better about ‘I tried to outrun a train’.” Xavier’s laugh was infectious and soon the three of them were standing around laughing about practically nothing. Then, curious as ever, Elias had a question. “Hey, pardon me if this is too forward Xavier, but Shiloh told me you’re married? I assume he meant you got married after you died? How?”  
“Nah, I’d love to share. See when you die you get a whole new life up here, and when my partner, his name is James, died we could actually be together in a place where we weren't going to get hurt for being who we are,” he shrugged, “And I mean, why would we be prevented from marrying here? We can't have kids or anything like that but we can at least pick a person we like and say we're dedicated to them. It's not an official marriage, technically, but it's good enough.”  
“How is James, by the way?” Kaliope asked, and turned to Elias, “James isn't a reaper. Reapers and those in the atheist/agnostic sort of peaceful afterlife can interact. I don't get to go visit much though. I love my job too much.”  
“He's wonderful, as always. I do have to get back to him soon, or he’ll scold me,” Xavier smiled and hugged his goodbyes. “I don't feel like getting a lecture tonight.”  
As he walked away, Elias turned to Kaliope. “I can see why he's a reaper. His happiness is infectious.”  
“I know! He was my reaper. It was nice to be greeted by someone who's also gay, too. Down there everyone's always telling you you're going to get turned away at the pearly gates and I was met with a welcoming rainbow.”  
“Yeah, it's ridiculous down there. I like it here, it's nice. Where do the bad people go?”  
“Well, there's a good and a bad side of the atheist/agnostic options. They go to the bad side, and I've never asked what's in there. As for not those options, you'll have to hit the holy books. In Buddhism though I'm pretty sure they just get reincarnated into a dung beetle.”  
They had another laugh, and Elias was thankful that he got to meet such nice people. “So, Kaliope, how did you…?”  
“Die? Believe it or not I was poisoned by a crazy ex-girlfriend because I was planning to break up with her.” Elias blinked in surprise, and it was clear that he was trying to weigh if she was messing with him or not. “I'm serious. Arsenic in my food for months.”  
“That sounds unpleasant.” Kaliope shrugged at the comment.  
“I don't think about it much. So are you staying out tonight or going to rest?”  
“I think I might grab a few of the books on other religions. Shiloh did tell me that usually we’re assigned to what we knew in life but it's always good to have bases covered.”  
Kaliope gave an approving nod and stretched, “I think I need some rest. I haven't chilled out in four days. Looks like Shiloh is laughing, go join him.”


End file.
